Art Devotion

[beauty_in_the_sai]

How devoted are you to your martial art? Are you devoted to one art or many? How hard did you find it to pull away from your first martial art? Do you think devotion to one art is a good or bad thing?

I ask these questions because I'm a taekwondoist by mind but a cross-trainer by spirit. I want to take other arts, but every time I do or try, I always think, "Well, this isn't the TKD way of doing it." or "TKD's way is better." etc. I'm pretty hooked on my first art and sure I'll never give it up. Since I've done TKD for 5 and a half years and loved it, I guess I'm pretty devoted to it. However, I'm a firm believer in cross-training, as I know I need more than just my legs to survive a real fight. TKD's got me out of scrapes before, but it, like every art, needs more. So, I guess I'm a primary TKDist, that dabs in this and that art. Ninjutsu is fun, I highly recommend it. JKD for me was hard, but the footwork's great. Ok, enough of my speech. Write your experience. LOL

 

[Gemini]

Well, not being a firm believer in cross training or that any art requires more, I think just from reading your post, you, as we all, are answering your own questions. If you're relying on your legs alone to defend yourself, it doesn't sound like you're being taught the entire scope of what our art has to offer, and maybe that's why you feel you need to look elsewhere.

What I liked was that you're open minded and trying different things, then making conclusions based on what you've discovered first hand. I've personally never felt the need to do so, as I see my art encompassing every aspect of what the arts have to offer. But that's my path. Sounds to me like you're on the right one for you. Keep up the good work!

 

[Andrew Green]

I'd say I'm more devoted to martial arts in general

 

[Jade Tigress]

I'm extremely devoted to my art. I was lucky enough to fall in love with the first art I tried. I can totally relate to your train of thought in comparing every other style technique with your own. It would be hard to change that mindset. I don't know if that's good or bad. I'm open to and respect other arts and there are alot of good systems out there, but Sil Lum Kung Fu is my first love. If I were forced to find somewhere else to train, I would try to find something as similar to my current style as I could, or train in a different art that is complimentary to it, rather than trying something completely different.

 

[arnisador]

The martial arts in general for me.

 

[Danny T]

How devoted are you to your martial art? Are you devoted to one art or many? How hard did you find it to pull away from your first martial art? Do you think devotion to one art is a good or bad thing?

I ask these questions because I'm a taekwondoist by mind but a cross-trainer by spirit. I want to take other arts, but every time I do or try, I always think, "Well, this isn't the TKD way of doing it." or "TKD's way is better." etc. I'm pretty hooked on my first art and sure I'll never give it up. Since I've done TKD for 5 and a half years and loved it, I guess I'm pretty devoted to it. However, I'm a firm believer in cross-training, as I know I need more than just my legs to survive a real fight. TKD's got me out of scrapes before, but it, like every art, needs more. So, I guess I'm a primary TKDist, that dabs in this and that art. Ninjutsu is fun, I highly recommend it. JKD for me was hard, but the footwork's great. Ok, enough of my speech. Write your experience. LOL

I don’t see how one can be devoted to many arts. To be devoted is to apply or to give attention, time, or oneself completely to a cause, activity, or purpose. What I can be devoted to is the Martial arts in general, which I am. If I were devoted to a single system or style I would not be able to train in another for if I did, as you are, I would no longer be devoted to an art. You state you are pretty devoted. What does that mean? Either you are devoted or you aren’t. That is like saying, “I’m sort of pregnant.”

I feel one should experience as many different ways of training as possible but should have one or two ways as a base. Doesn’t mean you have to learn everything about as many systems as possible. Just experiment and play with as many as possible. It will enhance your train and often can be a key to having a greater understanding of your base art. I have learned a great deal about Wing Chun thru Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. My Silat training has helped also. BJJ has allowed me further understanding of my body and how to apply many Wing Chun principles on the ground as well as standing.

I devote as much time as I can to martial art and the proper training of it.

Danny

 

[tshadowchaser]

I have tried to walk away from my art a few times for various reasons I kept coming back. I have studied a few arts in my day but always stayed loyal to Sikaran. I am still a student of few arts but ind ways to incorporate them into my art.
I may have different ideas from some people in my art but I think one has to learn to evolve

 

[terryl965]

Devotion in the Art: lets see I started out in Okinawa Karate for 19 years and the only reason I swiched to TKD was when I got out of college I moved to California to start teaching high school and the only dark and dungy hard and rugged school I could find around there was a TKD school Hard floors no matts, when you left class you where barely walking to the car. Why Have I stayed with TKD for the last20 something years is all the techniques seem to work for me in any stituation. With that being said I also go to different seminars and I have other instructor from other art come by and show some of there stuff what I can use I keep and what I can't I forget about. I'm devoted to my art as well as devoted to my family of tkd pactitioners.
Terry

 

[karatekid1975]

Good thread. I am devoted to TSD, actually. BUT I do TKD now. I'm not in a Mcdojang now ( I was at one point up here ... long story), thank goodness. But I'm not as devoted to it as I was with TSD. I am dedicated though.

As far as leaving my TSD dojang (my first art that I loved so much)? That was the hardest thing I ever did. But I get the benifit of going back to train there once or twice a year for free when I visit NJ. So it's not too bad

 

[IcemanSK]

As far as leaving my TSD dojang (my first art that I loved so much)? That was the hardest thing I ever did. But I get the benifit of going back to train there once or twice a year for free when I visit NJ. So it's not too bad [/quote]

[Insert the good part about going back to Jersey joke, here] Just kidding. I know that must be hard for ya to not be able to do TSD as often, KK1975. The way you put that just struck me funny.:ultracool

 

[karatekid1975]

LOL. It's ok. I word things in a silly way sometimes LOL

 

[jdinca]

I was thoroughly hooked five minutes into my introductory lesson 4 1/2 years ago. I had an epiphany and have not looked back. On top of that, I feel that I've landed in a truly special school (yep, very biased) out of sheer dumb luck, or divine intervention. Take your pick. My work out time, lesson time is about eight hours a week and I teach another 6-8. This is one of the best things that's happened in my life.

I would like to become passionate about martial arts in general but I'm on a path and I don't want to get sidetracked (it's my ADD). One of the main reasons I'm here is to broaden my knowledge of martial arts because I do feel we need to be aware of what's out there. Kung Fu will become a bigger part of my training in the not to distant future, just because that's the way our system is set up. I expect my passion will expand with the material I'm responsible for knowing.

 

[MJS]

How devoted are you to your martial art? Are you devoted to one art or many? How hard did you find it to pull away from your first martial art? Do you think devotion to one art is a good or bad thing?

I'd say I'm very devoted to my base art of Kenpo, considering the amount of time I've spent in it. I'm also devoted to the Arnis and BJJ that I study. Cross training or referencing will only help you to get better.

Mike